


Push

by WroughtBetwixt



Series: JohnWard Prompts [18]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Childbirth, Gen, Grant is squeamish and it's amusing, John is actually good with people, Pre-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pregnancy, Rescue, Shooting, Surprise Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 11:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2387039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WroughtBetwixt/pseuds/WroughtBetwixt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes missions are surprising.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Push

It was just the usual SHIELD raid. Go in, find people doing things SHIELD didn’t like, end them. That was before they stumbled into some sort of medical room, where two men in lab coats tried to shoot them. They were down before they even got their guns fully drawn, courtesy of Grant’s favorite pistol; that’s when they heard the screaming from the other side of a curtain. Sharing a glance, John and Grant moved in. There was a young woman on a hospital bed, bleeding from her pelvis; she wailed something in Russian, and John lowered his gun with a curse.

“She’s in labor.” John’s voice was grim as he went back, stepped over the two bodies before grabbing some supplies and rushing to the woman’s side. “I think we just shot the doctors. Call for help.”

Grant lowered his own gun and flipped on his radio. “We need a medical team in here, now...” A chirped reply. “Fifteen minutes.”

John was talking quickly to the woman, too quick for Grant to follow; he was good at Russian, but not as good as his mentor. After a minute of hasty dialogue, John looked up and waved Grant over. He was still speaking in Russian, but slower. “Grant, this is Polina. They were keeping her captive, and we’re going to take her back with us.”

“Hello, Polina,” Grant answered with a smile. The woman smiled back through her tears, then cried out, writhing; Grant grabbed her hand and shot John a pained look, speaking English. “I don’t think medical’s going to get here in time.”

“Nope. That’s why we’re going to do it.”

Opening his mouth, Grant’s protest was cut off as Polina let out a scream. “Right.”

John was already moving, explaining something to Polina; whatever it was, she nodded vigorously, and John began to gather the supplies he needed from around the dank room. Using his free hand, Grant pulled a lockpick from his belt loop. The assholes had her handcuffed to the bed; he quickly freed her, offering her calm assurances as she grasped his hand between her own. She was moaning various expletives, and Grant found himself cursing along with her.

“Bend your knees. A little more. There you are.” John’s voice was calm, serene. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to help you through this.”

“I want to go home,” Polina sobbed. “I just want to go home.”

Grant brushed her hair from her face, squeezing her hands. “We’re going to take you home. I promise. Hang in there, okay?” He glanced at John. “Can you handle this?”

Snapping on a pair of gloves, John nodded. “Not my first rodeo, kid. Just keep her breathing.”

It happened faster than Grant expected. One minute, Grant was talking to Polina, breathing with her, letting her crush his hand as she screamed and wailed. Suddenly, John was saying something in Russian-- push, sweetheart-- and then there was a tiny little squall from John’s arms. Grant stayed with Polina while John walked away, using the sleeve of his shirt to dab sweat from her face; she’d collapsed back on the best, smiling even though she was gasping for breath, and Grant couldn’t help but smile, too. 

John came back with a little bundle of towels, placing it in Polina’s arms. “Congratulations. She’s alive.”

Polina curled around her baby, tears streaming down her face as she whispered thank you, over and over. The doors opened not long after, a SHIELD medical team coming in and assessing the situation. John placed a hand on Polina’s shoulder as one of their female doctors took over, murmuring a reassurance and a goodbye before they took Polina and her daughter away on a stretcher. Grant and John watched them leave; they both exhaled slowly, flashing one another an adrenaline-fueled grin as they headed back towards their plane. 

It felt good to bring life into the world for once, rather than take it out.


End file.
